[Q1] NXT's interim GM Dusty Rhodes starts the show off with a taped promo. He talks about how NXT builds the future of WWE, and says that an NXT champion will be crowned in a tournament. The participant are Richie Steamboat, Bo Dallas, Leo Kruger, Seth Rollins, Michael McGillicutty, Drew McIntyre, Jinder Mahal, and Justin Gabriel. The inclusion of half-main roster members is absolutely baffling. After the credits, they show the new belt, which is a total abomination.

Richie Steamboat heads to the ring for the first match of the gold rush tournament.

1 - RICHIE STEAMBOAT vs. LEO KRUGER - NXT Title tournament match

Steamboat quickly tries a pair of covers to win it, but Kruger escapes. After a slap from Kruger, Steamboat chases Kruger all around the ring and Kruger jumps him on the way in. Kruger tries a sleeper, but Steamboat slips out. Big chops take Kruger down, so he leaves the ring. This time, Steamboat assaults Kruger on the way into the ring. Steamboat dominates Kruger with whips. Kruger fakes a knee injury, so the ref makes Steamboat give him some room. Kruger uses the break to get the upper hand.

Kruger with a killer spinebuster for a very close nearfall. Kruger calls for the end, but Steamboat gets out of the sleeper again. Steamboat kicks Kruger in the head to get out of the corner. Steamboat throws Kruger five feet on a back drop. Kruger finally gets the sleeper on, and Steamboat is ready to fade out, but he powers to his feet and gets to the ropes. Steamboat hits his odd finisher (like a neckbreaker of sorts) out of nowhere for the win.

WINNER: Richie Steamboat in 8:00. This may be the longest rookie-vs-rookie match yet on New NXT. I think the wrong wrestler won here, as Kruger shows much more in-ring skill that Steamboat, whose moveset is so limited that I was actually shocked to see him use a dropkick.

Big E. Langston comes out to make his debut. The guy is huge, about Ryback size. He's facing Adam Mercer.

[Q2]

2 - BIG E. LANGSTON vs. ADAM MERCER

They lock up, but Langston just knee lifts him a half dozen times, then lands a number of backbreakers. Shoulder thrusts in the corner, then a spear in the corner. Mercer tries a jawbreaker, then another, but Langston runs him down. Langston drops the straps, picks Mercey up over his shoulds like a sack, then kits a sort of cutter plus flapjack from that position for the win.

WINNER: Big E. Langston in 1:30. Langston is a beast, and moves with the speed and motivation often missing in the big men. He stands out with the repetition of moves. I want to see more, that's for sure.

A new Diva comes out, Audrey Marie. She looks like a brunette Kate Upton. Raquel Diaz comes out and cuts a promo on her wireless mic. She says that Audrey Marie doesn't know how to "work a ramp" which is funny considering the big cheers she got from the crowd. Audrey Marie looks at her like she is delusional.

3. AUDREY MARIE vs. RAQUEL DIAZ

Marie quickly locks on a headlock and Diaz can't get out. Diaz stomps her foot, then flapjacks her onto the ropes for a one count. Marie with a jacknife but Diaz bridges out. It looks like Diaz wants a backslide but Marie uses the turnbuckle to flip out of it. Diaz manages to hit the Gory Bomb a moment later for the win.

WINNER: Raquel Diaz in 2:45. Right at the end, there was a "you can't wrestle" chant aimed at Diaz; while I am not inclined to join in that level of criticism, I can understand where it comes from in this case. I thought Audrey Marie showed good promise with her skills, and has a look that will go over well with fans.

Briley Pearce interviews Paige backstage about the match. Paige seems unimpressed with Diaz, in a very understated way. She has a real "silent assassin" attitude which is unique for the Divas. I really think that it is Paige or Sofia Cortez, not Raqual Diaz that NXT should be getting behind.

4 - MIKE DALTON & JASON JORDAN vs. HUNICO & CAMACHO - Tag Team match

Jordan and Hunico start. Jordan gets in some early Jack Swagger-like offense and tags in Dalton. Dalton gets isolated for a stretch.

[Q3] Jordan is forced to break up a tag. Hunico flips Dalton onto Camacho for a powerbomb, but Dalton rolls through and pins Camacho.

WINNER: Mike Dalton and Jason Jordan in 3:45. Hunico and Camacho looked really good in this. Jordan & Dalton barely had any offensive moves before the roll-through at the end.

5 - SETH ROLLINS vs. DREW MCINTYRE - NXT Title tournament match

Rollins slips away from McIntyre's power quickly. Rollins tries to pick a knee but McIntyre beats him around. Rollins goes onto brawling offense. McIntyre slows things down and controls Rollins. Rollins again turns to speed and sends McIntyre out of the ring. McIntyre hides under the ring, then slams Rollins's head into the apron when Rollins tries to drag him out. McIntyre with a nasty looking hammerlock suplex.

[ c- Smackdown World Tour ]

Rollins is struggling to get traction against McIntyre's brutal offense. The ref has a glove on so someone must have been bleeding. Rollins escapes from McIntyre for just a moment, then reverses a back drop into a huge DDT with a lot of momentum behind it. Rollins is working with one arm after McIntyre worked it. Enziguri sends McIntyre to the corner and Rollins clothes lines him out of the ring then a suicide dive sends McIntyre five feet up the ramp. McIntyre lands a clothesline that flips Rollins around in mid-air for a nearfall. Rollins somehow puts McIntyre on the mat, but McIntyre catches a top rope cross-body and smoothly reverses into a tiltawhirl backbreaker.

McIntyre looks for the Future Shock DDT, but Rollins gets to the ropes. McIntyre wants a belly-to-back superplex, but Rollins elbows out. Rollins follows with a big moonsault but like last week, McIntyre rolls out of the way and Rollins lands on his feet. McIntyre whiffs a big boot in the corner, stumbles around, and Rollins connects with the Blackout for the win.

WINNER: Seth Rollins in 10:00. Outstanding match. This is the second great match between these two, and it was easy to invest in Rollins, who had enough offense to feel competitive but still an underdog. It is hard to not want to see Seth Rollins to win, and it is even harder to not want to see more of him in the ring.

He hosted the weekly Pro Wrestling Focus radio show on KFAN in the early 1990s and hosted the Ultimate Insiders DVD series distributed in retail stories internationally in the mid-2000s including interviews filmed in Los Angeles with Vince Russo & Ed Ferrara and Matt & Jeff Hardy. He currently hosts the most listened to pro wrestling audio show in the world, (the PWTorch Livecast, top ranked in iTunes)

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